Earthquakes remind Japanese that they live on risky terrain

IT WAS not the Big One that so many Japanese fear, but that is little consolation to the people of Niigata, a mountainous prefecture north of Tokyo. Three earthquakes, the largest measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale, struck the area in less than an hour on October 23rd, killing more than 30 people and injuring over 2,000 others. More than 100,000 people had to be evacuated. It was Japan's deadliest earthquake since a quake measuring 7.3 struck Kobe in 1995, killing 6,433 people.

The earthquakes, which swayed buildings 150 miles (250km) away in Tokyo, triggered landslides and tore up roads in Niigata, and destroyed or damaged nearly 6,000 homes and other buildings across the prefecture. The mountainous terrain further complicated relief efforts. The government used helicopters to airlift food and medical supplies and rescue those at risk. The quakes were also strong enough to derail a bullet train, the first time that has happened in the 40 years since Japan launched the high-speed rail network. The train was moving slowly and nobody was killed, but it added to the sense of nervousness and vulnerability across Japan.

The Niigata quake is not expected to hurt the economy too badly. Although many factories in the area are still gauging the damage, it is not a big industrial or population centre. The government is planning financial help for rebuilding. However, since the earthquake follows a string of nasty typhoons that have swept Japan in recent months, some economists worry that the natural disasters will take a toll on consumer confidence and spending. Japan's stockmarket fell nearly 2% on Monday, the first day of trading after the quakes, but sour global economic news had a similar impact on other Asian markets.

Outside Niigata, the disaster has reminded other Japanese how much havoc a big earthquake would cause if it were to strike a major city, such as Tokyo. A government committee gave warning this summer that there was a 70% chance that a big earthquake—between 6.7 and 7.2 in intensity—would hit Tokyo or surrounding prefectures in the next 30 years (a wide range, it is true). The government has long stashed away food and other supplies, and told more than 60 private firms to be ready to help if needed. But such a quake would probably claim thousands of lives and batter the economy.